OK, I finally did a post about reasons listed in Scripture for suffering. If anyone is interested it is at _http://barbarah.wordpress.com/2007/07/16/scriptural-reasons-for-suffering/_ (http://barbarah.wordpress.com/2007/07/16/scriptural-reasons-for-suffering/) Barbara H. _http://barbarah.wordpress.com/_ (http://barbarah.wordpress.com/) In a message dated 7/15/2007 2:14:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Ever read the first couple of chapters of Job? :-) There is a book by Elisabeth Elliot called A Path Through Suffering that I highly recommend. In the back she has an appendix of several reasons in Scripture why suffering is allowed. I've been wanting to do a post on this on my blog some day, but here's what I wrote about one of the reasons: In John 15, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” I am not a good gardener, but I do know that with many plants, if you don’t cut them back occasionally, they won’t grow, or at least they won’t grow as well. Sometimes those “pruning” experiences in our lives are a means of growth, growth we wouldn’t otherwise experience. Barbara H. _http://barbarah.wordpress.com/_ (http://barbarah.wordpress.com/) ************************************** Get a sneak peak of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour
